Illuminable structure



Dec. 22, 1953 1w, MQLER ETAL 2,663,107

ILLUMINABLE STRUCTURE Filed April 19. 1949 INVENTORS. GARLAND W. MOLERHARRY NASSAU ATTORNEYS V Patented Dec. 22, 1953 urrso STATES Nassau,Philadelphia, Pa.,

assignments, to 0.

This invention relates to illuminable structures and method of making.

More particularly the method according to this invention is adapted forthe making of illuminable structures which do not permit escape oflight, either direct or reflected, except through markings or charactersdesired to be illuminated, such, for example, as instrument boards,consoles, and the like.

Eeretofore it has been known to form illuminable structures of the typecontemplated here with the use of acrylic plastics, such, for example,as methyl methacrylate, which, in sheet or panel form, has the capacityto transmitlight throughout the body tlrereoffrom a source, or sources,at an edge, or edges, thereof with escape of light from the surfacesthereof.

In prior practice for the preparation of an illuminable structure, asheet of acrylic plastic has been lightproofed by coating itssurfacesexcept for such design or characters desired to be illuminated andproviding holes extending inwardly from its edges for the reception oflight sources. Various protection for the exposed surfaces has beenprovided by coating with a clear coating or laminating on a protectivesheet through the medium of an adhesive.

The prior practice has not resulted in the production of a satisfactoryproduct in that it lacks surface uniformity and fineness of detail ofthe character or design to be illuminated, is readily defaced byscratching and, where a protective sheet is laminated on the face, suchtends to separate in time, the protective sheet tends to discolor withage, which detracts from the contrast between the printing and thebackground.

Now in accordance with the method of this invention, particularprocedure with the use of particular materials is provided whereby asuperior product embodying this invention is readily produced.

Generally speaking, procedure according to assignors, by 'mesne Szekely& Associates, Inc, Philadelphia, Pa.,'a corporation ofPennsylvaniaApplication April19, 1949,"S'erial-Nol 88 ,493 .3 Claims. (01,.41-22)this invention for the production of an illuminable structure embodyingthis invention, involves coating the face of a panel of acrylic plasticwith a white pigmented vinyl base lacquer. This coating will be appliedby the silk screen process. The coated face is then printedby a reversesilk screen process, using a black, or colored, pigmented vinyl baselacquer, thus forming the design or characters as cut-outsfrom a blackground. I

The face having been coated and printed, a protective coating of a clearvinyl base lacquer is applied over the printed. face preferably .by thesilk screen process. "If desired, an alternate method of protection willbe afforded to the printed face by laminating directly over the printingon the panel a thin sheet of polyvinylchloride-acetate plastic, whichwill be readily accomplished by the application of heat and pressurewithout the use of an adhesive, since the protective sheet will becompatible with the coatings and printing on the face of the panel.

The panel is now fabricated completely for the purpose intended exceptfor the holes for the reception of the light sources.

The fabricated panel, including the edges, back and the surfaces of allholes, is then coated, as by spraying, with a white pigmented vinyl baselacquer and then the back, edges and the surfaces of all holes arecoated, as by spraying, with a black, or colored, pigmented vinyl baselacquer.

The holes for the light sources are then'drilled and polished tocomplete the panel.

screening, with a white pigmented vinyl base lacquer stock, comprising,for example, vinyl chloride acetate copolymer resins, plasticized with,for example, butyl phthalate, methyl phthalate and blown castor oil andpigmented with, for example, titanium dioxide, and having, for example,the following formula:

Per cent Resin #1 [CH2=CHCl-CH2 Cl-I-OCOCHslms-com- 30 Resin #2 [CH2CHCl-CH2= CH-OCOCH3]2eo-2es 10 Butyl phthalateCcl-LiC-OsCl-I3CH2CH2Cl-ls 9 Methyl phthalate CsHiCOsClis 4 #15 blowncastor oil 2 Titanium dioxide T102 45 which mixture, or white stock,will be diluted to the semi-paste form required for silk screening .onthe following formula:

Methyl isobutyl ketone (CI-I3COCH2CH(CH3) 2) 30 The above may be furtherdiluted, to insure proper flow through the mesh of the silk screen,withtoluene or xylene.

The'coate'd face will now reprinted by reverse silk screen process, toform the desired designs or characters on the face of the panel incut-out, using a black pigmented vinyl base lacquer stock comprising,for example, vinyl chloride acetate copolymer resins with butyl andmethyl phthalate as plasticizers and carbon black or lamp black andhaving, for example, the following formula:

Per cent Resin #1 [CH2=CHCl-CH2= CHOCOCH3]195-20o 50 Resin #2[CH2=CHCI-CH2= CH-OCOCH3]29o-295 l5 Butyl phthalateC6H4CO3CH3CH2CI-IzCH3 10 Methyl phthalate C6H4CO3CH3 5 Carbon black orlamp black 20 Per cent Black stock 2% Methyl ethyl ketone (CH3COC2H5) 50lviethyl isobutyl ketone (CH3COCH2CH(CH3)2) 30 and the above may befurther diluted, if necessary, to insure proper flow through the mesh ofthe silk screen, with toluene or xylene.

It will be appreciated that in place of carbon black or lamp black acolored pigment may be used in making up the above stock.

The silk screen for printing may be prepared in well known manner. Thus,sensitized silk screen carbon tissue is exposed in close contact with anegative made from a drawing of the design, symbols, characters, or thelike, to be printed on the face of the panel. After exposure the carbontissue is washed with warm run ning water to wash away the non-exposedportion and the gelatine side of the carbon tissue is then applied tothe surface of Swiss silk stretched on a silk screen frame. After dryingthe backing sheet of acetate is peeled from the carbon tissue leavingthe carbon tissue forming the design, symbols, characters, or the like,on the silk screen. With the silk screen so formed the background willbe printed leaving the design, symbols, characters, or the like, ascut-outs.

After the face of the panel has been printed a dull clear protectivecoat is applied, by silk screening, over the printed face. Theprotective coat will be formed with a clear vinyl base lacquer,comprising, for example, vinyl chloride acetate copolymer resins mixedwith titanium dioxide as a dulling agent and with butyl acetate as aplasticizer and solvent, and having, for example, the following formula:

Per cent Resin #1 [CH2=CHC1CH2=CHOCOCH3]195-200 35 Resin #2ECH2=CHC1-CH2=CH-OCOCH31290-295 14 Titanium dioxide 'liOz l Butylacetate CHSCOOCiHQ 50 The above may be further diluted, if necessary,with toluene.

Alternative to the application of the above protective coat by silkscreening, a thin protective sheet of hard polyvinyl-chloride-acetateplastic is placed over the printed face of the panel and subjected toheat and pressure, say a tempera ture of 250 F. under a pressure of lbs.per square inch, which will cause the protective sheet to adheredirectly to the printing, since the two are compatible, as it will benoted are the several coatings and printing applied to the base of thepanel.

The panel is now out to size, drilled for mounting and otherwisefabricated as may be necessary for its ultimate purpose and all surfacesexcept the printed face, i. e., the back, edges and all holes which mayhave been drilled, are given, by spraying, two coats of a whitepigmented vinyl base lacquer having, for example, the formula givenabove for the initial white coating of the face of the panel. Then theback, edges and all holes are given one coat of a black pigmented vinylbase lacquer having, for example, the formula given above for theprinting of the face of the panel. The final black coating of the back,edges, holes, etc. should be carefully done to insure that there will beno leakage of light.

Finally the holes for the light sources are drilled in the panel andpolished.

It will now be appreciated that the structure according to thisinvention comprises a base formed from acrylic plastic coated and havinga design, symbol, character, or the like, formed on a coated facethereof by reverse silk screening, as detailed above, with a pigmentedvinyl resin base lacquer, the printed face being protected by a coatingof clear vinyl resin base lacquer, or alternatively, if desired, with asheet of polyvinyl-chloride-acetate adhered directly to the printing byheat and pressure without the use of adhesive.

It will be appreciated that the various formulae given above by way ofillustration may be moditied to meet various conditions withoutdeparting from this invention so long as the base of vinyl resin beretained.

It will be appreciated that the method according to this inventioncomprises the several steps with use of the several materials asdetailed above as such may be modified by those skilled in the art tomeet various conditions.

A specific embodiment of a panel made in accordance with this inventionis shown for purposes of exernplification in the figures, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a panel made in accordance with thisinvention.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 inFigure i.

As shown in the figures, panel 2 has a sheet of transparent plasticmaterial t. Sheet s has two out out slots 5 on each side thereof topermit the bolting of the panel to a suitable support (not shown).Qpenings 8 are drilled in sheet 4 for the reception of a toggle switch,one of which is shown at Hi.

All the surfaces of the panel, including the interior of the slots 6 andopenings 3, are coated with a white pigmented vinyl base lacquer ii. Alayer it of black pigmented vinyl base lacquer overlies layer 52 on thefront of panel 2, layer It having openings in to form appropriatenumerals under openings 8. 0verlying the front of panel 2 is aprotective film 58 of clear vinyl resin. All of the surfaces of panel 2other than the front, and including slots 6 and openings 8, arecompletely covered with a black pigmented vinyl base lacquer 29.

The last step in the formation of the panel is to drill an opening 22,the walls of the opening 22 formed by sheet 4 being free of any coating.Opening 22 provides means for the entry of light which will betransferred through the sheet 4 and out through the translucent whitepigmented vinyl base lacquer l2 and through the clear protective coatingl8. Although no part of this invention, there is shown positioned withinthe opening 22 a bulb 24' mounted in a cap 26 having a rubber skirt 28.The bulb 24 is adapted to be secured in a socket (not shown) mounted onthe structure to which panel 2 is secured.

The method and product according to this invention in their broader andmore specific aspects are defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An illuminable structure comprising an acrylic plastics panel, acoating of white pigmented vinyl resin on all surfaces of said panel,printing in cut-out from a ground of black pigmented vinyl resin on theface of said panel, a protective film of clear vinyl resin on the faceof said panel, an overcoating of black pigmented vinyl resin on allsurfaces of said panel except the panel.

GARLAND W. MOLER.

HARRY NASSAU.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,968,095 Poschel July 31, 1934 2,166,819 'Miller July 18,1939 2,261,578 Bauer Nov. 4, 1941 2,279,459 Harris Apr. 14, 19422,518,726 Shlenker Aug. 15, 1950

